SAM
How ’bout we start with this? (SAM jabs CROWLEY in the neck with a syringe of Sam’s purified blood.)

SCENE from ….

Angel attacks CASTIEL, who flinches in pain.

ANGEL
You’re human?

SCENE from 9.03 I’m No Angel

SAM looks up, blue light shining out of his eyes.

DEAN
Zeke?

ZEKE-in-SAM
Castiel cannot stay here. He will bring the angels down on all of us.

DEAN
He’s warded.

ZEKE-in-SAM
He was warded when April found him. Castiel is in danger. And if he is here, I am in danger.

DEAN
Wait, you’re in danger?

ZEKE-in-SAM
If he stays, I am afraid I will have no choice but to leave.

SCENE from 9.03 I’m No Angel

DEAN
Cas, can we talk?
You can’t stay.

NOW (TEASER)

SCENE – Rexford, Idaho

Outside view of a cabin in the dark.

Inside the cabin: A woman’s voice is heard, over a phone; a sweaty, disheveled man (JOE) pacing around inside the cabin, listening to her on speakerphone (or just really loud phone).

HOTLINE COUNSELOR
Sir?
Sir, can you hear me?
Please – please just say something.
Are you still there?
Keep talking, and I can help you through this.
Please, sir, if you can hear me, stay on the phone.
It may feel hopeless right now, but, but you called the hotline for a reason.
There’s some part of you that still wants to live – some part that knows suici–

JOE hangs up the phone. He opens a drawer in a dresser, sighs heavily, and pulls out a gun. He points the gun to his forehead, and gasps heavily, then looks at a picture of a woman and a child and sobs again. He lowers the gun slowly, and drops it back in the drawer. Suddenly he hears a sound behind him, and whirls around.

A man steps forward into the scene.

JOE
Who are you? Did the lady from the hotline send you?

INTRUDER
No. (He’s wearing a small cross earring in his left ear.) You did.

ACT ONE

The camera widens angle, to show CASTIEL walking from behind a counter, wearing a bright blue staff vest, and carrying a cup of coffee – he’s working in a convenience store.

JENSEN ACKLES

CASTIEL closely watches the two men, chatting at the coffee-stand. One man is stirring his coffee. CASTIEL watches and stirs his coffee. The man licks his stir stick. CASTIEL licks his own stir stick. The two men continue to have conversation:

Men laughing.

MAN 1
I know, and that play in the second quarter?

MAN 2
I mean, what team is he playing for?

MAN 1
Not ours.

The man aims and tosses his stir stick into the garbage. The other guy and CASTIEL both watch.

MAN 2
High-five! (The men high-five.)

CASTIEL turns around to a garbage can near him. He aims, leans forward slightly, and tosses his own stir stick into the garbage. He gives a small smile of triumph when he makes it.

CASTIEL turns back to the pile of newspapers, and picks up the top copy of the Rexford Post newspaper, reading the paper’s headline: «LOCAL MAN PRESUMED DEAD», sub headed, «Fourth unexplained disappearance in weeks». The accompanying photo is of JOE, the suicidal man-cum-supernatural murder victim from the teaser.

SCENE – Bunker, with Sam, Dean, Kevin

Pictures of a sheaf of drawings in red and black, with words and cryptic symbols and numbers; someone is picking them up and looking through them.

SAM’s voice
That’s your «big … news», is that you, that you translated the tablet into … doodles? (disdainfully)

KEVIN
It’s cuneiform. (SAM and DEAN both look at him.) I-I hit a wall translating the tablet into English. But I found an ancient codex, uh, linking the Angel script to proto-Elamite cuneiform, and I was able to translate the tablet and the footnotes into Elamite, which … is …

DEAN
Doodles.

KEVIN
It’s extinct.

SAM
Well, can you read it?

KEVIN
No one can. Scholars have tried for centuries.

DEAN
So it’s a dead end? (DEAN slaps the papers down on the table in disgust. SAM puts his sheaf of papers on the table too.)

KEVIN
N-not quite. Now, most proto-Elamite is abstract, but I was able to decipher one phrase from Metatron’s footnotes. «Falling angels.»

SAM
Okay, so, the footnotes refer to Metatron’s spell?

KEVIN
Maybe.

SAM
Okay. (Walking to bookshelf.) Well, maybe if we can decipher the footnotes, then we can reverse the spell and…

SAM pulls off three of a set of a dozen books.

DEAN
Punt those winged dicks back to heaven. (DEAN slaps the table, ready for action.) Where do we start?

SAM
Research. (SAM tosses one book in front of each of the other two. DEAN’s expression is less than thrilled.) We comb through the library, see if we can find anything else on Elamite.

DEAN (reading the title of the book)Zimmerman’s Encyclopedia of Extinct Languages … Volume One: Adai to Atakapa. How many volumes are there?

KEVIN
24.

DEAN’s mouth works soundlessly.

KEVIN, reassuringly
Don’t worry, we’ve found them all. (KEVIN looks back down at his own book.)

DEAN
Awesome. (He looks pleadingly over at SAM, who chuffs and looks down at his book.)

DEAN’s phone rings.

DEAN mutters
There is a God.

SAM watches DEAN as he answers the phone.

DEAN
Hello?

CASTIEL (calling from the Gas’n’Sip)
I may have a case for you. (CASTIEL is cleaning the slurpee machine while he talks.) Four missing in Rexford, Idaho. (DEAN stands up, walking away from the table.)

Consulting Producers

BRAD BUCKNER

EUGENIE ROSS-LEMING

CASTIEL
Presumed dead, but no bodies have been released to loved ones. And, there were reports of a strange substance at the scenes.

Co-Executive Producers

ERIC CHARMELO

NICOLE SNYDER

DEAN
Oh, well, hello to you too, Cas. How are you?

Co-Executive Producer

ANDREW DABB

CASTIEL
I … am busy.

DEAN shakes his head.

DEAN
All right. So, how do you want to do this?

Executive Consultant

ERIC KRIPKE

DEAN
You want to meet up at the latest scene? You want me to pick you up? What?

CASTIEL’s efforts with the Slushy machine are not going well. A flood of liquid blue slushy mix spills out over the machine and onto the floor. DEAN hears the trickling sound and looks puzzled.

CASTIEL
Um … I’ve got my hands full over here. I just – um…

DEAN
Cas? Hello?

CASTIEL (trying to hold onto multiple things at the same time)
— thought you would want to know about the case. (CASTIEL takes the phone and puts it in his pocket.)

KEVIN is looking at a book on a counter in the computer room. DEAN is walking into the room from downstairs, with SAM’s voice (and SAM) following him. DEAN has an overnight bag slung over his shoulder.

SAM
So, he said nothing about where he is or – or what he’s been doing?

They enter the computer room.

Co-Executive Producer

JIM MICHAELS

DEAN
This is Cas.

Created by

ERIC KRIPKE

DEAN
In case you forgot, he’s not exactly Chatty Cathy.

SAM (incredulously)
And you’re not even gonna see him when you’re in Idaho?

Written by

ROBERT BERENS

DEAN
Well, like I said, as long as he’s catnip for angels, he’s keeping his distance.

DEAN turns to continue walking, now leaving the room.

Directed by

ROB SPERA

SAM
So then, what’s the point, Dean?

SAM walks over to KEVIN; they’re both looking up at DEAN offscreen, as he has walked upstairs.

SAM (continues)
I mean, it’s barely even a case.

DEAN (from a balcony, talking down to the other two)
That’s why I’m just gonna go have a little look-see, and … we’re not gonna waste a whole lot of manpower on a big pile of nada.

KEVIN
In other words, a perfect excuse to bail out on research.

DEAN
(brief pause) You got me.

DEAN turns and walks out. SAM and KEVIN look exasperated.

SCENE – Gas’n’Sip, with Castiel & Nora

CASTIEL is on a ladder, changing a fluorescent tube bulb.

NORA enters.

NORA
Hey, Steve? I found this in the supply closet. (She holds up a plastic bag with … toothpaste ? in it) Do you know whose it is?

CASTIEL
Um… (comes down from the ladder) That’s mine. Thanks.

NORA
I also found a rolled-up sleeping bag behind the tool locker.

CASTIEL
Yes, (thinking fast) I wanted to be thorough with inventory, so I worked late last week, and taking a nap here was easier than going back home to my bed. Which I-I have, of course – a bed…and a home.

NORA
Wow, Steve. You’re so… responsible.

She walks away, and he turns to go back to the ladder. Then she pauses and turns back toward him.

NORA
I’ve been afraid to ask. I-I don’t want to take advantage of you as my employee, and I certainly don’t want to jeopardize our working relationship. But as a working single mom, it’s hard enough to get a date, let alone meet a really great guy. (CASTIEL looks a little puzzled about where all this is going.) And … tomorrow’s my night off, and I know you’re off, too, and … I was just wondering if there’s any chance you’re… free tomorrow night?

CASTIEL
Um… (pause) Yes? (looks down; happy guitar music starts) Yes.

NORA gives him a kiss on the cheek.

NORA
You’re the best! (She bounces off happily.)

CASTIEL looks around, confused, and turns back to the ladder, with a look of pleased anticipation on his face.

SHERIFF
Well, Joe in there had the suicide hotline on speed dial. The gal before him was a shut-in. Had enough antidepressants in her medicine cabinet to stock a pharmacy. The first victims – a married couple out of Sugar City. Pretty much a walking billboard for no-fault divorce.

DEAN
Were they all basket cases?

SHERIFF
If you asked me to make a list of this county’s saddest sacks, these four would’ve been right on top.

DEAN
All right, so, four unhappy people, one of them definitely suicidal. But you’ve ruled out suicide?

The SHERIFF hands blue gloves to DEAN.

SHERIFF
You’re gonna want to put these on.

Inside the cabin, which is awash with pink spray paint; someone in a hazmat white plastic body condom is kneeling, scraping evidence. The door opens and DEAN and the SHERIFF walk in. DEAN (who is wearing white gloves) grimaces at the odor. He turns around and looks at the room, which is covered with pink.

SHERIFF
This look like suicide to you?

DEAN
Blood?

SHERIFF
If the tests come back same as the others … it’s everything. Blood, skin, hair, nails. Internal organs. Even clothing fibers. Like these poor souls got run through the world’s finest wood-chipper.

DEAN
What about witnesses?

SHERIFF
Same as the rest. Neighbors reported some kind of a pink flash. By the time we got here, all that was left was … this.

SCENE – Sam (bunker) and Dean (Impala) on the phone

SAM is on the phone, drinking a cup of something; he and KEVIN are sitting at a table with library lamps doing research. He stands up while on the phone:

SAM
Yeah, we’re almost through the texts over here. (pause) We got nothing.

DEAN is leaning against the IMPALA, with a coffee cup.

DEAN
Have you tried Professor Morrison?

SAM
Yeah, he’s unreachable. He took a sabbatical to live amongst the Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea. Needless to say, we’re pretty burnt.

DEAN
Well, there’s one guy there who is nothing if not well-rested.

SAM
Crowley?

DEAN
I’m just saying we’re not keeping him chained up for the one-liners.

SAM
It’s worth a shot, I guess.

DEAN
Just be careful, all right? Don’t fall for any of his «quid pro quo» crap.

Pause, then DEAN clicks the phone closed. He stares at the Gas’n’Sip convenience store, and CASTIEL, visible through the window, bagging a purchase for a customer. DEAN thoughtfully taps his cell on the car.

SCENE – High school, bus

Teenage girl walking across the street from a school, to a school bus, talking on her cell.

GIRL
He dumped me, Jace. (pause) In the cafeteria. In front of everyone. It’s just like … who does that, you know? Like, why couldn’t he just dump me on Facebook like a normal person? (pause) I’ve been destroyed. Socially and romantically … totaled. (pause) I know. I’m just so embarrassed, Jace. I could just die.

A hand on her shoulder. She turns around to see the same guy with the cross earring who killed the first victim.

MURDEROUS INTRUDER
I can help with that.

He lifts a hand, and a pink light and buzzing sound start.

GIRL
What?

His hand approaches her forehead. She screams. A spray of pink hits the side of the bus where she was standing.

ACT TWO

SCENE – Gas’n’Sip

One guy walks out, holds the door for another guy walks in with a case of beer who says «Thanks.» A hand hits a button for the Idaho Lotto ticket. (Number 24 27 74 22 44 47 ??) CASTIEL hands the ticket to a woman.

CASTIEL
Good day, ma’am.
(CASTIEL gives her an emphatic thumbs-up, and says very intensely:)
And good luck!

DEAN
Well, the feeling is mutual. I mean, I knew you had to lay low from the angel threat, but, uh, wow. This is some cover.

CASTIEL
My Grace is gone. What did you expect? Do you have any idea how hard it was? When I fell to earth, I didn’t just lose my powers. I – I had nothing. Now… I’m a sales associate (proudly)

DEAN
A sales associate?

The beer delivery guy hands «Steve» a clipboard.

DELIVERY GUY
Hey, Steve. Sign here?

CASTIEL takes the clipboard and signs it, continuing to speak to DEAN.

CASTIEL
I’m responsible for inventory, sales, customer service. I keep this place — (he hands the clip board to the delivery guy, who says «Thank you» and leaves) – Thank YOU (to the delivery guy) — clean and presentable. And when my manager’s busy, I even prepare the food.

DEAN
Wow. So you went from fighting … heavenly battles to nuking taquitos?

CASTIEL (nodding)
Nachos too.

SCENE – Bunker Basement, Crowley

Basement, CROWLEY is chained to a chair, with a table in front of him; SAM is sitting on the edge of the table.

CROWLEY (holding a paper with the «doodles» of the cuneiform)
I’ve been politely asking for reading material for weeks, and this is what you bring me?
(CROWLEY puts the paper on the table and pushes it back toward SAM.)
Pass.

SAM
Can you read Elamite or not?

CROWLEY
It’s by no means my favorite of the ancient tongues, but yes.

SAM
Will you help us read it?

CROWLEY
Why on earth would I?

SAM
Because I was there that night. I saw what humanity did to you. (Crowley scoffs very quietly.) Like it or not, there’s still a little part of you that’s not a douche.

CROWLEY
Sorry, Moose. To the last drop.

SAM gets off the table, and leans over it towards CROWLEY
Crowley, the only reason you’re alive is because my brother thought you would be useful. So far you’ve done Jack.
(SAM sighs, and shakes his head.)
Back to plan «B,» I guess.
SAM stands up fully, takes the paper, starts walking away.

CROWLEY
Which is?

SAM (walking)
Give you up to Abaddon.

CROWLEY (to SAM’s back)
You think you can threaten me with that hack?!
(SAM pauses, turns around to face CROWLEY)
She’s all fury, no finesse.

SAM
I’m not so sure. Our last encounter with Abaddon, she was, uh — she was pretty terrifying. Scarier than you’ve been in years. (SAM laughs.)

CROWLEY
Bring that to me.

SAM walks back toward CROWLEY with the paper, and hands it to him. CROWLEY wads it up and throws it in his face, temper tantrum-style. SAM looks pissed. He walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

SCENE – Gas’n’Sip

CASTIEL-as-STEVE is carrying a box of small jars. DEAN is walking behind him, talking.

DEAN
This is not you, man. You are above this. Come on. (CASTIEL has a stubborn expression on his face.)

CASTIEL
No, Dean. (He puts the box on the counter and turns to face DEAN.) I’m not. I failed at being an angel. Everything I ever attempted came out wrong. But here … at least I have a shot at getting things right. I guess you can’t see it, but … there’s a real dignity in what I do – human dignity.

NORA
Hate to interrupt you guys, but, Steve? Customer had an accident in the men’s room.

DEAN
Yeah. I mean, my dates usually end when I run out of singles, but, uh, yeah. Yeah, that’s something that … humans do.

DEAN’s cell rings.

DEAN (on the phone)
This is Agent Lee Ermey. (pause) I’ll be right there.
(DEAN hangs up the phone and speaks to CASTIEL.)
There was another kill, over at the high school. You comin’?

CASTIEL
I wouldn’t be much use. I don’t have my powers.

DEAN
So? I’ve never had powers.

CASTIEL
You are a hunter.

DEAN
And you’re a hunter in training, remember?

CASTIEL
Yeah, I remember. You said I sucked.

DEAN
I didn’t say that. I said that there was, uh, uh, you know, «room for improvement.» Come on.

CASTIEL
All right, my shift’s over in five minutes, and my date’s not until later, so…

DEAN
Attaboy! I’ll go get the car.

CASTIEL
Not just yet. I have to clean the bathroom? (He pointedly reminds DEAN.)

SCENE at the BUS

DEAN, in civvies, walks up and shows a badge to a cop to get into the yellow tape zone. CASTIEL in his blue vest accompanies him. DEAN sees a cop talking to a young girl and heads that way. CASTIEL is looking at the scene in horror and recognition. A haz-mat suited cop is picking up evidence, and a balding crime scene photographer has got his camera out. The camera pans over the bus which is liberally painted with pink spray.
Tearful girl (JACE, the friend that the victim was speaking to earlier) talking to SHERIFF; DEAN joins the twosome.

JACE
One second, we’re talking, and the next, she just…stops. And then everyone in the cafeteria freaks, rushing, and pointing out the window, at — (she breaks into sobs) C- could that really be her?

JACE
Ew. No. I mean, she was kind of bummed that dick-bag Travis broke up with her in front of the whole school.

DEAN
‘Kind of bummed’?

JACE
Yeah. (Sarcastically.) Like more bummed than when she got a «C» on a quiz, and… less bummed than when her parents split up. ‘Kind of … bummed.’
JACE looks at DEAN like he’s a moron. DEAN looks nonplussed. The SHERIFF looks amused.

JACE sobs some more. DEAN turns towards the bus.

DEAN
Excuse me.

DEAN walks towards the IMPALA, where CASTIEL is leaning.

DEAN
Cas, what’s wrong?

CASTIEL
I’ve seen this before.

DEAN
What? Where?

CASTIEL
In heaven.

DEAN
What, you’re saying an angel did this?

CASTIEL
It’s no ordinary angel. Dean, this is bad. This is very bad.

ACT THREE

SCENE in the IMPALA near the BUS

CASTIEL and DEAN are in the Impala.

CASTIEL
On the battlefields of Heaven, there was a special class of angel, the Rit Zien. It’s, uh, Enochian for «Hands of Mercy.» They functioned like medics. They tended to the wounded. They healed those who could be healed, but for the mortally wounded, those who were past saving, the Rit Zien’s job was to put them down.

DEAN
But the granulated bodies?

CASTIEL
This was their special ability. They had this way of smiting that was so quick and so total that it rendered death virtually painless.

CASTIEL
Right. I don’t know. The Rit Zien home in on pain, it’s like a beacon to them. So, when this angel fell to earth, he heard the victims’ cries, and their anguish, same as he’d hear an angel’s in heaven. He’s continuing his heavenly work down here. One suffering human at a time.

DEAN
Yeah, but this last victim was not suffering. She was just a normal, moody kid.

CASTIEL
But he just got here. The ebb and flow of human emotion – Dean, I’ve been on earth for a few years, and I’ve only begun to grasp it. To him, pain is pain.

CAS gets out of the car, and starts walking to the front gate. He turns around and looks nervously at DEAN, who gives him a thumbs up from the car. CAS returns the thumbs up geekily and opens the gate. He sighs nervously and walks to the front door, stopping to pick a rose from the front garden. After he stabs himself on a thorn, he whips out a pair of large clippers that he apparently carries on his person.

DEAN (watching)
Nice touch.

CAS partly turns back towards DEAN and waves him to leave. DEAN waves back, then, realizing that CAS wants him to leave, points to the road inquiringly, and then signals to say «OK, yeah, got it,» and starts the car. But as he is about to pull out, he looks in frustration at a light brown Ford pick-up truck backing up toward him. (License plates IA H8101)

DEAN (regarding the driver of the truck)
What are you doing, jackass?

Dean (leaning out his open window and calling for the other driver’s attention)
Hey!

DEAN waves to let the truck know he’s there. The truck pulls forward a little, and DEAN pulls out of his parking spot and drives off.

The camera lingers for a moment on the pickup truck.
Back on the porch with CAS, NORA opens the door, putting her earrings on. She’s wearing a dress and has her hair down.

NORA
My date! (It’s becoming clear that CASTIEL is not her date.)
Bowling, would you believe it? But damned if I’m not dressing fancy, even for bowling. Haven’t had an excuse to doll up since Tanya was born.
And there she is, my little angel. Now, she’s already been fed. She’ll probably sleep the whole time, and I’ll only be gone a couple of hours. I just couldn’t get my usual sitter, and I needed somebody here just in case she wakes up and starts crying. Which she won’t, I promise. Baby Tanya never cries.

CROWLEY is speaking to the bowl of blood, to the unseen demons on the other end of the «call»:
This is Crowley. Connect me to— (pause) Crowley! (he repeats, annoyed)
(To SAM, who looks confused): Bad connection.
(To the bowl of blood): Crowley. Your king (emphatically). (pause) If you don’t connect me to Abaddon right away, I will be forced to—

CASTIEL singing «Believe It or Not» (the theme from «The Greatest American Hero»):
♪ Look at what’s happenin’ to me ♪
♪ I can’t believe it myself ♪
♪ suddenly I’m up on top of the world ♪
♪ it should’ve been somebody else ♪

The baby stops crying.

♪ oh, believe it or not ♪
♪ I’m walkin’ on air ♪
♪ I never thought I would feel so free-e-e ♪
♪ flyin’ away on a wing and a prayer ♪
♪ who could it be? ♪
♪ Believe it or not, it’s just me ♪
♪ believe it or not, it’s just me ♪

CASTIEL tries to put the baby down and she starts crying again. He picks her up again.

CASTIEL
Shhh. I know, I know.

SCENE – Impala, driving at night

DEAN is in the Impala, driving. His cell phone rings.

DEAN
Sheriff?

SHERIFF
Now, here’s a wrinkle. Our first crime scene, married couple? Full analysis of the spray came in from the lab. Turns out it only contains the wife’s DNA.

DEAN
The husband’s still out there.

SCENE – Nora’s house

CASTIEL is sitting in a chair with the baby, holding and rocking her.

CASTIEL (to the baby)
Nobody told you. Nobody explained. You’re just … shoved out kicking and screaming into this human life, without any idea why any of it feels the way it feels, or why this confusion, which feels like it’s … a hair’s breadth (The baby stops crying.) from terror or pain. You know, just when you think you do understand, it’ll turn out you’re wrong. You didn’t understand anything at all. Guess that’s just how it is when you’re new at this. You know, it wasn’t that long ago when all I’d need to do to ease your pain was touch you.

CASTIEL touches the baby on her forehead.

CASTIEL (continued)
You’re very warm. Is that normal?

Baby TANYA is crying again.

CASTIEL
Oh, shh. Shh. Shh. Shh.

SCENE – Interior; Sheriff and Dean

The SHERIFF and DEAN are looking at papers and talking.

SHERIFF
He was already a bit screwy, but then he found religion. She was a hard-line atheist, no peach herself, when he got himself obsessed with this Buddy Boyle whack job, an already bad marriage got worse. Kept telling her to «Let God in.»

DEAN
Buddy Boyle. That explains it.

SHERIFF
Explains what?

DEAN
Never mind. Let’s see. (looking at photos) Is that his truck? (remembering the truck that almost boxed him in at NORA’s house)

CAS hangs up. The baby continues to fuss, and he waits for a few seconds to see if the phone rings. He puts it in his pocket, and feels the baby’s head again.

CASTIEL (worried)
Okay, Tanya, we’re taking a little walk.

He walks toward the door with the baby, presumably to take her to the hospital. Reaching the door, he opens it – to reveal the Rit Zien angel.

ANGEL
Hello, Castiel.

ACT FOUR

SCENE – Nora’s house

The ANGEL is wandering around NORA’s house.

ANGEL
Squalid little dump. No wonder she cries.

CASTIEL is putting the baby into the crib. She’s not crying at this moment, actually!

CASTIEL
It’s a fever, Ephraim. It will pass.

ANGEL (EPHRAIM)
You remember my name? I was just a nobody when we met, but you – you were a legend. You’ve been here before. This is my first time, and it’s … intense.

CASTIEL
You know, there’s a lot you don’t understand about humanity at first. If you would just stop—

EPHRAIM
Stop? I won’t stop … until I wash the planet clean of all suffering.

The baby starts fussing again. EPHRAIM steps towards her:

EPHRAIM
Allow me.

CASTIEL (standing in his way)
Don’t. Touch. Her.

EPHRAIM
You think I came for her? No, Castiel. I came for you.

He moves around CASTIEL to the baby. CASTIEL appears stunned.

SCENE – Bunker basement, Crowley

SAM
How long’s it take to transfer a demonic phone call?

CROWLEY
Can it, Moose.

KEVIN
Crowley, you got your call.

SAM
Yeah, it’s time.

CROWLEY
It’s time when I bloody well say it’s time!

Suddenly the blood starts boiling and there are demonic sounds.

CROWLEY (to the bowl of blood)
Hello, Abaddon.

ABADDON
Crowley, how in the hell are you?

Abaddon is in an alley, holding a bloody knife, with a body of a young man near her, with its throat slit.

SCENE – Nora’s house

EPHRAIM is talking, as villains are wont to do. While listening, CASTIEL runs his hand on the thorny rose he brought for Nora.

EPHRAIM
So much pain and despair, so many voices begging out for relief.

CASTIEL
How’d you find me?

EPHRAIM
Because you’re warded? The same way I find all my patients – I just followed the sound of your pain. You have no idea how loud it is. I could hear you for miles.

CASTIEL is walking away from the baby’s room; EPHRAIM is following.

CASTIEL
Do you really think you’re doing Heaven’s work down here?

EPHRAIM
I know I am.

CASTIEL
Well, you’re wrong. Earth can be a hard place. But these humans, they can get better. They’re just doing the best they can.

EPHRAIM
Is that what you think you’re doing, Castiel – the best you can? Well, I’m sorry. But if this is the best that the famed Castiel can do, you’re a more urgent case than I thought. I used to admire you. You failed more often than you succeeded. But at least you played big.

EPHRAIM looks down – and notices that CASTIEL is drawing a sigil on the door in his own blood. He grabs CASTIEL’s hand before he completes the sigil, bending it sharply; there’s a cracking sound and CASTIEL yells in pain. EPHRAIM shoves him away from the door, and still holding CASTIEL by the wrist, forces him to his knees, palm upward.

EPHRAIM
Now what are you doing? Burying your head in the sand. Right when your kind needs you the most.

EPHRAIM twists CASTIEL’s wrist painfully and CASTIEL gasps.

SCENE – Bunker Basement, Crowley, and Abaddon in Alley

CROWLEY
And how are the numbers?

ABADDON
You mean souls? I’ve managed to double on your projections. Now, how did I ever pull off such a feat?

CROWLEY
You’re taking souls before their time. Voiding my contracts!

ABADDON
That’s right. I’m taking it all down, brick by brick. It’s over. The days of Crowley, the king of bureaucrats – are done.

CROWLEY (continues)
It may look like bean-counting to you, it may lack a certain adolescent flair, but my way… Works!

SAM lifts his eyebrows, and looks at KEVIN.

CROWLEY (continues)
You think you can control Hell with chaos alone, without the support of those who are still loyal to me?!

The blood in ABADDON’s bowl is boiling creepily, looks like writhing worms.

ABADDON
No one’s seen you in weeks, and last I saw you, Howdy and Doody had you tied up nice and tight. Seems to reason, they’ve turned you into a kennel dog. How does it feel, Crowley, to be the Winchesters’ bitch? It’s been fun indulging in your bluffs, but we both know you have no real authority left, no leverage. You have nothing to offer me. You have – nothing.

CROWLEY
Your way will backfire. You. Will. Burn.

ABADDON
I can’t wait.

Their call over, CROWLEY pushes the bowl away. He looks like a beaten man.

SAM
Crowley?

CROWLEY
Bring me the translations. I keep my agreements.

KEVIN moves quickly to get the papers, then hands them to SAM who hands them to CROWLEY.

CROWLEY
This spell can’t be undone. The new world order – we’re stuck with it.

SCENE – Nora’s house

DEAN is struggling to pull himself together.

EPHRAIM
You say you want to live. But you can’t see what I see. By choosing a human life, you’ve already given up. You … chose … death.

EPHRAIM lifts a hand to CASTIEL’s forehead.

DEAN slides the knife across the floor towards CASTIEL.

CASTIEL grabs it and stabs EPHRAIM. White light bursts out of EPHRAIM and he screams; DEAN ducks his head to shield his eyes from the blinding white light. A torrent of white light streams out of EPHRAIM’s mouth as his scream continues. The body of the formerly-possessed, now-dead, husband falls to the floor.

DEAN pants. CASTIEL looks solemn.

ACT FIVE

SCENE – Sam (bunker) & Dean (Impala) on the phone

SAM is in the bunker, on the phone.

DEAN
Well, there’s no way. Crowley’s lying.

SAM
No, Dean, not this time. Look, Metatron built the spell to withstand any attempt to reverse it. There is no putting the angels back in Heaven. It’s done.

NORA
Oh, that’s okay. Date was a bust anyway. (pause; CASTIEL walks down the stairs) Steve? (CASTIEL stops and turns to look at her.) The part of you that overreacted, that cares so much? That’s what makes you special.

NORA smiles at CASTIEL-as-STEVE sentimentally and turns to go back into her house as he goes out through the gate.

DEAN sees CASTIEL approaching.

DEAN (to SAM)
I got to go.

DEAN hangs up and turns to CASTIEL.

DEAN (to CASTIEL)
Where to, Cas?

CASTIEL looks at him, then gets into the car.

SCENE – Bunker, Sam & Crowley

SAM pours the bowl of blood into the sink.

He notices that the syringe kit is missing a syringe — there were five, now there’s only four. He shuts the kit and leaves the room.

Peering in through the door into CROWLEY’s den, we see CROWLEY has the syringe, and is apparently using it, although it’s unclear for what. CROWLEY sinks back into his chair with a sigh.

SAM ducks back out of sight.

SCENE – Impala at the Gas’n’Sip, Dean & Castiel

The Impala pulls up to the Gas’n’Sip.

DEAN
Listen, Cas … Back at the bunker, I, uh… Sorry I told you to go. I know it’s been hard on you, you know, on your own. Well, you’re adapting. I’m proud of you.

CASTIEL
Thank you, Dean. (Sighs) But there’s something Ephraim said. The angels — they need help. Can I really sit this out? Shouldn’t I be searching for a way to get them home?

DEAN
Me and Sam will take care of the angels. You’re human now. It’s not your problem anymore.

CASTIEL gets out of the car, looks in through the window at DEAN, and they wave goodbye to each other. CASTIEL walks to the Gas’n’Sip and unlocks the door as DEAN starts up the Impala.

CASTIEL does the coffee, puts the cash drawer in the cash register. Turns on the TV:

TV NEWS ANNOUNCERIt’s been weeks since the massive meteor storm, yet Idaho Falls astronomers still have unanswered questions. NASA and Washington are both continuing to study the phenomenon.